An Analytical Look into The Marina Towers In Chicago

As seen above, the floor plans all are organized to radiate around the central shaft-core. The balcony space proportionally large in comparison to the rest of the condos. The cyan lines indicate a unique organizational method as a result of the circular plan. The condos come in studio, one bedroom and two bedroom units.

The image shows the program of the multiple buildings within this complex. The majority of the program is for residential units. The green area highlights the indoor parking garage. The close proximity to stores and work places reduces the need for cars for the residence. Unfortunately this was not taken into consideration as only 1/3 of the residents own a vehicle yet every resident gets a parking space.

DESCRIPTION: “In our ‘cities within cities’ we shall turn our streets up into the air, and stack the daytime and nighttime use of our land.” —Bertrand Goldberg. Marina City is a prime example of this idea as it boasted the following amenities in 1967:
-Theater
-Gym
-Swimming Pool
-Ice Rink
-Bowling Alley
-19-floor Parking Garage
-Retail Shopping and Restaurants
-Marina
-Laundry Facilities with Panoramic Views of the City
-360-Degree open-roof deck on top of each building

Part of what makes Marina City such a successful multi-use complex is its close proximity (walkable) to many attractions, as shown in the diagramitic image above. Marina City is located in between a bike route and the red line making it very connected.

The bottom right floorplan shows floors 21-52 and the top floorplan shows levels 53-59. The circulation is axial, starting from the central core (shown in blue) and radiating into the private residents.